UK politicians and campaigners condemn structural violence against Tamil women in Sri Lanka
Tamil Guardian 17 May 2014
Tamil Guardian 17 May 2014
| ||||||||||||
UK politicians, rights activists and campaigners condemned the taking structural Place Violence against Women in the North-East of Sri Lanka Tamil, at a conference held in the House of Commons in Westminster, On Tuesday. The Event, Highlighting the Extensive sexual Violence, Agaricus On Tamil Women and abuses still being inflicted these atrocities and to LEAD and the societal structures that perpetuate impunity, was organised by a Cross Party Group of UK MPs, the All Party Parliamentary Group for Tamils (APPGT) in collaboration with the British Tamils Forum ( BTF). The societal structures that present LEAD Within Sri Lanka Tamil Women faced to the injustices and atrocities were discussed by a Panel of activists, campaigners and Journalists. The Panel comprised Dr Frank Arnold, Group From the medical campaign MEDACT , Charu Lata Hogg, From Chatham House and Child Soldiers International , Dr Juliet Cohen From Freedom From Torture ; and Sujatha Moorthy, From the telephone service Counseling Helpline Jothy . The panel was moderated by Dr Sivakami Rajamanoharan, Tamil Guardian editor.
Following a minute's silence in remembrance of those killed during the final stages of the conflict, the event began with Lee Scott, chair of the APPGT and Conservative MP for Ilford North. Welcoming the International Investigation On Accountability Progress As mandating earlier this year, Mr. Scott said much was still needed in order for More Justice to be delivered to the Tamil people However.
APPGT Vice Chair and Labour MP for Mitcham and Morden, Siobhain McDonagh said: " the treatment of the Tamil Women stressed the need for an International, independent Investigation into Sri Lanka. " For Labour MP Islington North, Jeremy Corbyn, condemned the use of sexual Violence in conflict, including that against Tamil Women in the North-East. " This is a , IT is a War. When the Sri Lankan Government IT TREATED these Women knew exactly what IT was doing this Way, "stressed Mr. Corbyn. Detailing the use of sexual Violence in Areas OTHER conflict, the Democratic Republic of Congo As such, he said IT had become "a Part of modern warfare "and a" weapon of war ", and urged that action be taken to bring those responsible to account.
Margaret Owen, the Director of Widows for Peace through Democracy, a Group that is actively Involved in launching the British Government's conference against sexual Violence in conflict Next month, was scathing in her Criticism. Detailing the thousands of Tamil Women affected by sexual Violence, and those that are still Facing IT Today, Ms Owen took Place in a Systematic Violence talpa out that the sexual nature of militarisation increase and amidst the Tamil Areas in the North-East. " It's not adhoc. These rapes come from the top. IT's organised, IT is a form of genocide of the Tamil people, "said Ms Owen pointing to the conference Next month As a positive Move towards Highlighting sexual Violence in conflict, Ms Owen was nonetheless critical of continued Lack of Justice and International inaction. " We need to end this, holding Conferences, denying Yet these Women for Justice , "she stressed.
The Panel discussion followed. Introducing the speakers, the moderator, Dr Rajamanoharan outlined a number of societal structures that were present and overlay on Tamil women, stressing that the nature of the Sri Lankan state as one built on Sinhala majoritarianism was central however to understanding what led to such atrocities being committed against Tamil Women. "Yes there is gender inequality Within Tamil society, but We Can not ignore the ethnic Dimension Within the Sri Lankan State," said Dr Rajamanoharan. " Sexual Violence and Women can not be separated From the structure of Agaricus of Tamil As a Sri Lanka Sinhala majoritarianism State . We are looking at so if FINDING We need solutions to Remember that protecting Tamil Women On the Island, is not the same protecting As Women On the Island , "she said. The First speaker, Charu Lata Hogg, is the Associate Fellow at the Asia programme at Chatham House and Asia Program Manager of Child Soldiers International. MS Hogg, who has also worked well As As As the LEAD South Asia researcher for Human Rights Watch, and a Journalist Based in and Sri Lanka, described the effects of conflict, that had "scarred the social fabric of the Northern Sri Lanka" . Highlighting the incidents of sexual Violence against Women by agents of the Sri Lankan Tamil State, which include the Police and Military, Ms Hogg, said, "However, public Attention to this Issue has been muted : high levels of social stigmatization , fear of Control over Military reprisal owing to ongoing administration in Northeast Sri Lanka, meaningful Lack of Accountability for past crimes of rape and sexual Violence, and an overriding Climate of impunity have combined to discourage rape From Survivors seeking redress for the abuses against them. " Plants and Trees that the LTTE forcibly recruited Tamil children, including during the final stage of the conflict, Ms Hogg said the LTTE forcibly cut the hair of women as a deterrent to fleeing the conflict zone "knowing that women with short hair would be suspected by the Sri Lankan Army As TREATED Spencomp Technologies and would be likely of being LTTE LTTE Members ". Highlighting structural issues impeding independent investigations and Accountability, including training and RESOURCES for Lack of judicial and prosecutorial Staff, Lack of witness protection mechanisms, the Prevention of Terrorism Act, and visa restrictions On International NGO workers, Ms Hogg said, " these specific RIVERHEADS to prosecutions and Effective redress Pale in Comparison to the larger and More intractable Issue: the Sri Lankan Government's clear unwillingness to Seriously investigate or prosecute Serious violations of Human rights by the Military and Police , particularly those committed in Connection with the armed conflict against the LTTE. " "Impunity for grave Human rights violations by the Government Remains widespread, there has been no equally Accountability for abuses committed by the LTTE. The Tamil Community, both Inside and outside Sri Lank Needs to support Accountability for abuses committed by both sides, "said Ms Hogg. Plants and Trees that the UN Human Rights Council's Recent resolution " could offer an important Opportunity to begin the process of establishing the Truth, Responsibilities for identifying abuses and grave, "Ms Hogg said," When this starts in earnest only be achieved CAN Justice and Reconciliation. "
Detailing several counts of torture of Tamils, Dr Arnold of MEDACT, a campaign group on global issues such as conflict and poverty run by health care professionals, pointed to the serious failings on part of the British government in providing victims with asylum, and to hold the Sri Lankan Government to account. " We've seen 208 Agaricus From Survivors of Sri Lanka, the Vast majority, but not quite All, were Tamil . Human rights defenders were also OTHER Communities From there, "said Dr Arnold. "[A Tamil Woman who tortured and was seeking asylum in the UK] was disbelieved On the Grounds that the Home Office and an immigration Judge alleged that she could have paid someone to make those Marks On her Body, in order to make a false claim of Agaricus , "said Dr Arnold, recounting the experience of One Woman interviewed by Tamil MEDACT. " That appalling statement, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office comes Actually From From a letter , in Colombo, to the British Home Office , the Foreign Office in which for some Munchkin - Kind of some consular official - has Lunch with an unnamed unnamed representative of an NGO, who told him, and I Quote Verbatim: 'everyone knows Tamils in Pay people to make Marks On Their bodies IDP camps in order to be able to make a false claim of Agaricus', "Detailed Dr Arnold, " That myth is widely disseminated, "he added. " I've Run From even Sinhalese Doctors across IT, senior Ones in Sri Lanka ". Drawing On of working with experiences the Tamil Women who have been raped or tortured, Dr Juliet Cohen, the LEAD doctor at the medical charity, Freedom From Torture, said " IT is hard for Victims to give Detailed evidence ", pointing to social ominosus and fear of reprisal. " Many find IT Difficult to describe the sexual Violence they were subjected to in Sri Lanka, "she said, Adding that Women's Physical weakness in Comparison to Men led them to often Freeze and Unable to make any form of resistance during the ordeal. Repeating the words of One Woman who was raped, Dr Cohen said: " once a Soldier destroys us, destroys us but a THOUSAND times the Village . "
Echoing her concerns, Sujatha Moorthy from the telephone counseling service, Jothy Helpline, detailed her first hand experience of the distress and isolation faced by Tamil women who had been raped and called for greater awareness and education within Tamil communities outside the island to spot signs of rape often hidden. Highlighting the social ominosus Associated with rape Within Tamil society, Ms Moorthy said, " After the Women are abused and tortured by the army, after that change with the ominosus Their Lives Victims attached to rape. They're outcasts. " "Often the First Time [the Women] Call, they just do not cry or say anything. IT's too upsetting for them to speak, "Ms Moorthy explained, describing the Phone Calls Jothy Helpline received From Tamil Women who had managed to Flee the Island and were Now seeking asylum in OTHER countries. " We can not give Called to the Helpline false hope Though you will be OK by saying, As the Threat of Deportation looms over them , "she added. In a Panel Question and answer session following the discussion, the possibility of sanctions against Sri Lanka was also raised by Dr Arnold, As well As Members of the AUDIENCE. " Should We do a boycott of Sri Lanka, "Asked Dr Arnold." Will IT be Effective? " " Economic Leverage CAN be Applied, "commented Ms Hogg, who had worked closely in ensure that the EU's preferential tariff (GSP + ) had previously been removed, said. " blanket sanctions are a separate Issue However , "she added, Plants and Trees NGOs that took a different Position On this in terms of the Impact On the General Population and overall effectiveness. The ziek and RIVERHEADS faced by Tamil Women in Their reporting crimes whilst also seeking asylum was raised by a member of the AUDIENCE. Dr Cohen and Dr Arnold said the Issue was being pushed with the UK authorities, there were acknowledged However Yet Work was much to be done. " There is no Tamil is being falsified by evidence that medical evidence for asylum claims, "reiterated Dr Arnold. Responding to Calls for social ominosus to be addressed in order for Tamil Women On the Island to Come forward and report the crimes, in MANY raised concerns over the AUDIENCE the Sri Lankan State's historic failure to provide Justice to the Tamil people, the Rajapaksa Government Long before. A Tamil Woman in the AUDIENCE Asked, " but what Happened Reported to the crimes already? What about the case of Krishanthi [Kumaraswamy] Example for? ", Plants and Trees that IT was an under reporting of crimes that had not led to impunity. " As Long As delivered isn't Justice, Victims of crimes will be reluctant to Come forward , "said another member of the AUDIENCE. Drawing to a Close the Event, Raj Vakesan of the British Tamils Forum thanked those who had attended and panelists for All Their contributions, and reiterated the Importance of addressing the structural Issue of Violence against Women that was Tamil still taking place in the North-East.
|
